I am a huge fan of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream. I adore their vast list of creative flavors and the fact that they offer many of them with vegan bases. So, when this new outpost opened nearby, I was ecstatic! The shop was huge and far larger than any I had been to in Manhattan. The spacious room offered several tables and was decorated in bright, upbeat colors. We stopped in on a Friday evening to find only a few other patrons. However, there were three young women behind the counter, but only one was actually helping the customers. She was friendly, however.
I sampled a few new vegan options (Strawberry Shortcake and another), but wound up with one of my previous favorites, the Banana Bread Pudding with Fudge Swirls. For some reason, the banana flavor seemed a bit muted in comparison to the times I have had it in the past, but I am not sure if that was just something going on with my tastebuds or seasonal allergies or what. I also had a few bites of my partner's huge waffles cone, which was packed with two scoops of Brown Sugar Cookie Dough Brownie and two scoops of Chocolate Fudge Brownie. If I had to choose, I preferred the brownie chunks in the chocolate ice cream, rather than the sweet brown sugar base.
Yes, Van Leeuwen was pricey, and, yes, I have also seen long lines outside of this location, but I still feel that their rich, creative flavors and more natural ingredients make it worth the trip. (You can also get pints to go from here or your local supermarket.) read more